CHARLOTTE, NC - If endorsements fuel draft stock, I would highly encourage teams to invest in Stanford QB Andrew Luck during next April's NFL Draft.  That is, IF he's available.

Several weeks ago, Heisman trophy winner Jim Plunkett called Luck the "best passing quarterback... in college today."  Wednesday, former NFL QB, and father of two Super Bowl winning signal-callers, Archie Manning, didn't shy away from his feelings either: "he can run, he's very intelligent, he's got it all."

Plunkett compared Luck to the Manning brothers, and there's a pretty strong connection.  Archie played with Andrew's father, Oliver Luck, with the Houston Oilers during the late '70s.  According to the elder Manning, Andrew attended the Manning's football camp in South Carolina when he was in the 8th grade, and returned as a camp counselor last year.

"He's one of these guys.  I would compare him to Sam Bradford, 'cause I think he can step right in and play," Archie Manning said in a radio interview with a Charlotte-based sports radio station, WFNZ-AM, 610 The Fan.

The 21-year old Luck (6'4, 235 pounds) will lead Stanford into the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech. 

Manning says he believes Andrew will benefit in the NFL from playing under Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh and his "old fashioned system"; being under center a lot and not in the shotgun, as much.

If the draft took place today, the one-win Carolina Panthers would select first. However, Carolina drafted a quarterback with their first pick last April (in the second round).  But, Manning isn't completely sold on that QB, "I'm not knocking Jimmy Clausen, I don't that much about him. I know, you know, certainly his season this year hasn't been great.  But, I'm not sure how much help he's had in a tough situation he's been thrown into."

Former NFL defensive end Michael Dean Perry, who was co-hosting the radio show, asked Manning who's the "number two" QB in upcoming draft.  "I think Cam Newton is going to be a first round pick," replied Manning. "Great player, great looking kid... much better throwing motion than Vince Young."  However, Archie admitted he wasn't sure Newton would be ready to play immediately, because of the system he's played under in college.

Listen to the Archie Manning interview with Steve Lyerly and Michael Dean Perry